Memories poured in Thursday as people digested the death of Montana basketball legend Elvis Old Bull, who died this week in a single-vehicle car crash.

Fairfield coach Dean Gamradt, a legend in his own right, had a front row seat to the game that put Old Bull into the stratosphere.

Old Bull, a virtually unknown sophomore coming into the 1988 Class B state tournament in Missoula, put a stranglehold on the game down the stretch to lead Lodge Grass to the state title.

"We basically defended him to keep the ball from him," Gamradt remembered. "We went into a zone, and we stretched it out, but it didn't really matter how far out we went, he got the shots off."

There was never a doubt as to whether the shots were going down once he got the ball when the game was in the balance.

"He wasn't really a jump shooter," Gamradt said. "He had a set shot, but he was so smart and knew how to get the ball away."

The game ended 52-48, and a legend was born as Old Bull and Lodge Grass won the next two state titles and Old Bull garnered MVP trophies in all three games.

"He was not super athletic ... but when it got done to crunch time, he was pretty much money," Gamradt said. "He beat us in the last few seconds in the state tournament in Missoula. He was a special person. He wanted the ball the last two or three minutes."

Gamradt has another special memory of Old Bull.

"His shot was probably one of the worst-looking shots you could ever see,"Gamradt said, with a chuckle. "It would spin sideways, and it was kind of a high looper, but when it came down to crunch time, he just took over the game in the last few minutes."

Gamradt's youngest son, Shane, who became one of the best small-school players of the 1990s, thought the world of Old Bull even if he did sink Fairfield's title aspirations.

"He idolized (Old Bull)," Gamradt said. "His shot kind of looked like Elvis' (although it wasn't as good, Gamradt was quick to point out). He had the worst spin, just like Elvis."

Gamradt does not think that Old Bull was one of the best players the state has ever seen because his athletic ability wasn't on par with the likes of C.M. Russell High's Josh Huestis who went on to star for Stanford before being taken in the first-round of the NBA draft.

"My thoughts are he would be one of the best clutch players," Gamradt said, adding. "In Class B, he just won games. He was unbelievable."

From Twitter

Bobby Howard, @bbhoward15, Great Falls High and MSU great

Very sad to hear about Elvis Old Bull! One of the greats in MT Hoops!

* * *

Flint Rasmussen, @Flintrass, Famous rodeo clown

Montana loses one of its greatest high school basketball players ever...RIP Elvis Old Bull. Legendary Native American superstar...

* * *

Dustin White, @BEBearswhite

Very few players are remembered by there first name. But when you hear "Elvis" people know who you talking about. RIP Elvis Old Bull

* * *

Shelley Bointy, @ShelleyBointy

Awww. R.I.P. Elvis Old Bull. #legend Glad we lived in your era to witness such awesomeness on the court.

* * *

Kris Atteberry, @tteberry, Twins broadcaster and Bozeman native

Sad news tonight from my Montana homeland with the passing of the legendary Elvis Old Bull. Mythic status by age 18 & a singular talent.

Everybody who played with or against Elvis Old Bull-which is pretty much every Montana kid who could dribble from the late '80s until yesterday — has an Elvis story they've told a million times. Or remnants from a broken nose courtesy of a pass only he could envision.